Troops have cleared Mother Valley, Ekeututu, Lilu and Orsomoghu – all camps belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The combined troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army, sister Services, Nigeria Police and other security agencies in a coordinated operations, successfully raided the four hideouts and training camps of the IPOB/ESN in Orsomoghu Forest spanning Anambra and Imo States.
The raid operation was carried out on Monday, after troops were alerted to the violent activities of the irredentist group enforcing the illegal 2 weeks sit-at-home order in Onitsha, Nnewi and Iheme Obosi in Anambra State, as well as New Market in Enugu state, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director Army Public Relations, disclosed this on Tuesday morning.
Nwachukwu added that during the raid, the troops came in contact with the group’s armed fighters, who detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) also known as Ogbunigwe and fired using locally fabricated mortar tube but the valiant troops overpowered them in the firefight, compelling the IPOB/ESN Fighters to abandon their position and fled with gunshot wounds into bushes.
According to the him, further cordon and search of the hideouts by the troops, led to the arrest of five fleeing members of the group and recovery of one IPOB flag, one CCTV camera, 2 detonated IED bombs and a fabricated mortar tube.
He explained in a statement that five soldiers and two Nigeria Police operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries from the IED detonated by the criminals.
“The Nigerian Army encourages all law abiding citizens of the South East to continue to support ongoing operations with actionable information and to disregard the unlawful 2 weeks sit-at-home order by going about their normal daily activities and businesses.
“The Nigerian Army in synergy with sister services and security agencies will undauntedly continue to protect and safeguard lives and property of the good and enterprising people of South East Nigeria, within the ambit of the law and the rules of engagement.”
